Sick Animals Need to Drink Water

16.2 Sick Animals Need to Drink Water, too In some cultures, there are beliefs that animals with certain types of illnesses should not receive water. However, sick animals need to make urine just like healthy ones. Otherwise, toxins from the body build up, making the animal even sicker, causing the kidneys to stop working, and even causing death. Therefore, whether an animal is well or sick, it must be given plenty of fresh, clean drinking water.